Regularise or feel the brunt of the law. This is the warning that has been issued by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) in an announcement that illegal rum shops and bars are being urged to regularise their operations.
This caveat comes on the heels of the Authority’s observation that there has been an increase in the number of bars/liquor shops selling alcohol without being duly licensed. As such GRA has announced that it “would like to remind owners that this practice is illegal in accordance with Section 79 of the intoxicating Liquor Licensing Act Chapter 82:21”
The Act states that: “Everyone found selling, or offering, or exposing for sale, any spirituous liquor or any wine or malt liquor at any place other than in a place or premises duly licensed under this Act, who does not produce a licence authorising the sale or the offering or exposing for sale, of wine, malt liquor, or spirituous liquor at the time when and at the place where he is so found selling it, or offering it for sale may be arrested by the Commissioner and anyone authorised by him and detained until he can be brought before a Magistrate and dealt with according to law, and the wine, malt liquor or spirituous liquor, so sold or offered or exposed for sale, with the packages containing it, shall be seized and forfeited.”
Moreover, GRA said that it is urging bars/rum shops owners to take necessary action to regularise their operations. In order to acquire further information on acquiring a licence or provisional licence, persons can contact GRA’s Tax Advisory Services on telephone numbers: 227-8222, 227-6060 extensions 1201 or 1204.
